The Storm Chasers to Follow on Instagram

When a tornado siren goes off, most people rush to the basement. But folks like Mike Olbinski rush toward the storm. They’ll tell you that seeing the fury of a twister up close is one of the best feelings in the world. “There is nothing quite like standing in a wide open field with a looming supercell approaching you, lightning crashing down, thunder clapping in your ears and hail bouncing off the ground,” he says. Olbinski is one of many storm chasers braving the elements to make incredible photos and post them to Instagram. Follow along as they stare down a storm.

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Chris Sanner (@chrissanner) grew up in Oklahoma and fell in love with storm chasing while watching meteorologists tail tornados on the nightly news. He started tracking storms on his bicycle, then got finally his driver’s license in high school and never looked back. He’s chased nearly 500 storms in the past 15 years. Sanner even shoots for a local TV station and is a regular contributor to the storm chasing collective (@tornadotitans). “Crazily enough, many of the guys I grew up watching I’m now competing against,” he says. “So in a way, it’s like I made it to the big leagues.”

Chris Sanner (@chrissanner) grew up in Oklahoma and fell in love with storm chasing while watching meteorologists tail tornados on the nightly news. He started tracking storms on his bicycle, then got finally his driver’s license in high school and never looked back. He’s chased nearly 500 storms in the past 15 years. Sanner even shoots for a local TV station and is a regular contributor to the storm chasing collective (@tornadotitans). “Crazily enough, many of the guys I grew up watching I’m now competing against,” he says. “So in a way, it’s like I made it to the big leagues.”

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Tornado Trackers (@tornadotrackers) is a group of friends who just can’t get enough of the wind and rain. “We’re nerds and really just love dark clouds,” Cox says. “It doesn’t take much to get us excited about the weather.” Pastor Jeff Mangum, filmmaker Gabe Cox and student Jeremy Hamann began their Instagram three years ago to keep concerned family members updated on their storm chasing activity. Despite the name, they’ve also chased blizzards in New England and hurricanes in the Southeast.

A post shared by tornadotrackers (@tornadotrackers) on Mar 30, 2017 at 8:48pm PDT

Tornado Trackers (@tornadotrackers) is a group of friends who just can’t get enough of the wind and rain. “We’re nerds and really just love dark clouds,” Cox says. “It doesn’t take much to get us excited about the weather.” Pastor Jeff Mangum, filmmaker Gabe Cox and student Jeremy Hamann began their Instagram three years ago to keep concerned family members updated on their storm chasing activity. Despite the name, they’ve also chased blizzards in New England and hurricanes in the Southeast.

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For Quincy Vagell (@quincyq03), there’s nothing like heading into the eye of a storm. “It’s a feeling of pure excitement and adrenaline that’s not quite like anything else,” he says. Vagell became fascinated with storms six years ago after a massive tornado whizzed past his house, and has chased over 200 storms across Oklahoma’s plains and prairies.

For Quincy Vagell (@quincyq03), there’s nothing like heading into the eye of a storm. “It’s a feeling of pure excitement and adrenaline that’s not quite like anything else,” he says. Vagell became fascinated with storms six years ago after a massive tornado whizzed past his house, and has chased over 200 storms across Oklahoma’s plains and prairies.

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Photographer Mike Olbinski’s (@mikeolbinski) Toyota 4Runner is only three years old, but it already has 120,000 miles on it. That’s because he spends six months a year driving up to 14 hours a day to chase storms from Mexico to Canada. “If I miss an amazing storm in Texas because I’m home in Phoenix, it can literally make me feel sick,” he says.

Photographer Mike Olbinski’s (@mikeolbinski) Toyota 4Runner is only three years old, but it already has 120,000 miles on it. That’s because he spends six months a year driving up to 14 hours a day to chase storms from Mexico to Canada. “If I miss an amazing storm in Texas because I’m home in Phoenix, it can literally make me feel sick,” he says.

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No storm scares Accuweather meteorologist and Discovery Channel’s Stormer Chasers Reed Timmer (@reedtimmer). Not when he’s driving “The Dominator,” a custom-built Ford Super Duty truck with a hydraulic system that lowers the armored outer shell to the ground in the path of an oncoming tornado. The truck allows him to enter the eye of the storm to collect scientific data. If it sounds dangerous, it is. Timmer is currently on his third Dominator. But he still feels perfectly safe. “My comfort zone is when I am chasing storms,” he says. “I fear the days in between.”

No storm scares Accuweather meteorologist and Discovery Channel’s Stormer Chasers Reed Timmer (@reedtimmer). Not when he’s driving “The Dominator,” a custom-built Ford Super Duty truck with a hydraulic system that lowers the armored outer shell to the ground in the path of an oncoming tornado. The truck allows him to enter the eye of the storm to collect scientific data. If it sounds dangerous, it is. Timmer is currently on his third Dominator. But he still feels perfectly safe. “My comfort zone is when I am chasing storms,” he says. “I fear the days in between.”

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If you want to stay updated on the nastiest of storms this tornado season, follow Basehunters (@basehunters_chasing). Their ominous photos capture twisters barreling through fields and down roads, seemingly headed straight for the camera.

If you want to stay updated on the nastiest of storms this tornado season, follow Basehunters (@basehunters_chasing). Their ominous photos capture twisters barreling through fields and down roads, seemingly headed straight for the camera.